Welcome to our service - 14 March
This service sheet can be used individually or with households.
We would encourage you to say (or even sing) hymns and songs out loud.
Prayers, other liturgy or readings can be said out loud or silently, corporately or individually.
If you are able, we would also like invite you to join us for our main Sunday service, 10am, live on Zoom. Even if you have never been to St Gabriel’s before we would love you to join you. Please get in touch with the vicar Alistair (vicar@saintgs.co.uk) and he will send you the Zoom details.
Notices
We are really pleased to announced that public worship will resume in the church building this Sunday, 11:30am, for a service of Holy Communion. Please do join us if you are able.
SERVICE
Opening
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice.
Harden not your hearts.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vegvb1u5s4
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation;
O my soul, praise Him,
for He is thy health and salvation;
all ye who hear,
brothers and sisters, draw near,
praise Him in glad adoration.
2. Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things
so wondrously reigneth,
shelters thee under His wings,
yea, so gently sustaineth:
hast thou not seen?
all that is needful hath been
granted in what He ordaineth.
3. Praise to the Lord, who doth
prosper thy work and defend thee!
Surely His goodness and mercy
here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
what the Almighty can do,
who with His love doth befriend thee.
4. Praise to the Lord!
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath come now
with praises before Him!
Let the amen
sound from His people again:
gladly for aye we adore Him.
Words: Joachim Neander (1650-80)
tr. Catherine Winkworth (1829-78)
Music: Stralsund Gesangbuch (1665)
CONFESSION
“Now is the healing time decreed
for sins of heart and word and deed,
when we in humble fear record
the wrong that we have done the Lord.”
(Latin, before 12th century)
Spend some time in quiet and silence asking that God’s Spirit would reveal those areas in your life where you need His forgiveness.
Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him. Let us then renounce our wilfulness and ask his mercy by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin:
(Silence)
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Against you, you only have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight:
(Silence)
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me:
(Silence)
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
ABSOLUTION
May the father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins,
and restore us in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COLLECT
Merciful Lord,
you know our struggle to serve you:
when sin spoils our lives
and overshadows our hearts,
come to our aid
and turn us back to you again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPp8ov7cks
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
to receive the food of Your holy word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
shape and fashion us in your likeness,
that the light of Christ might be seen today
in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us
all Your purposes, for Your glory.
Teach us Lord full obedience,
holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
in the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
let their truth prevail over unbelief.
Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
help us grasp the heights
of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
that will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises; and by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
and the earth is filled with Your glory.
Keith Getty & Stuart Townend ©2005 Thankyou Music
READINGS
1 Samuel 3:1-10 New International Version
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down.
Again the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
‘My son,’ Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
A third time the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’
Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’
Psalm 37:4-5 New International Version – UK
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
John 10:24-30 New International Version - UK
The Jews who were there gathered round him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’
This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Talk by David Stout
There isn’t much use in talking if you’re not going to listen.
It doesn’t really matter what situation you’re in, if you’re wanting to open your mouth, you better make sure you’ve opened your ears as well.
Well I say ears, but we all know that listening is not just about hearing. So much of the way we communicate is not through speaking and hearing, but rather through body language, or catching someone’s eye, or writing someone a card, or through physical touch, or even through some sort of intuition, some in-built slightly mysterious connection between two people.
When we communicate with another human, or even another animal, we do this through a myriad of methods. And when we listen to someone, or something, to truly listen we have to try and open all our senses to them.
That’s one of the reasons why the last year has been so peculiar. We’ve lost so much communication between individuals. Not just because we don’t see people as much as we used to, we don’t bump into people out for a walk or invite them around for a coffee.
The reality is that technology creates so many opportunities for communication, it also pulls out so much of what we unconsciously expect to happen within a communicative relationship
Listening is about trying to grasp what someone or something is trying to share, no matter how they are sharing that.
Now I’ve used the word “something” a couple of times, as in “if something is trying to communicate with us”. And that’s because even relatively inanimate objects talk to us. Communicate with us.
When you walk up to a piece of art. Or into a building. Or up a mountain. Or into sofa showroom. Or an empty café. Or even just sit on a bench on the street.
All of these things are communicating a message to us. And that message may have originated from a designer or architect, but the object is communicating and we are experiencing that “voice” even if we’re not truly tuned into it.
See it’s strange then, given how much of our communication isn’t done through sound, that when we want to listen to God, we often find ourselves trying to hear God’s voice.
As you’re hopefully aware, the sermons in this current series have been based around this book: “How to Pray” by Pete Greig.
In the chapter of the book that I’ve been tasked with exploring, Pete writes about how to listen to God and he pitches 5 ways that God speaks. And they’re really practical. When I was reading it for the first time, I was recognising the reality of what Pete was saying even though I’d never considered these five methods before. So I thought I’d just go through them with you. Because they’re really neat.
So the five ways God speaks, and let’s make one thing very clear before I get going with them, God can speak however God wants to speak. This isn’t an exhaustive list. I don’t think God is sat in Heaven going “Oh I’d really like to talk to Dave, but Pete Greig wrote this book and I can’t get in touch with Dave using those methods right now, so, you know, sucks to be Dave!”. But this is just a good list that covers most of the bases.
1. Hearing God in the Bible
2. Hearing God in dreams and visions
3. Hearing God in counsel and common sense
4. Hearing God in personal reflection
5. Hearing God in action
So we’ll briefly go through each of these five methods.
Hearing God in the Bible
The Bible is our primary source of revelation. It’s where we ‘hear’ God the most. It’s the ultimate authority to weigh up all other revelation. We take our prophecies, visions, dreams, angelic visitations, supernatural hunches, audible voices and any other potentially ‘God getting in touch with us’ stuff and compare it to the truth of Scripture. If they don’t measure up, they don’t get in the door. That’s the Bible
But, it’s not just the compare your prophecy tool.
The Bible is alive. It speaks to us. And I’m not talking about in an inanimate object kind of a way, although that will happen, I’m talking about the way the Bible can talk to us in a “ahhhhh, how is that happening” kind of a way.
Hebrews (fyi, best book in the Bible) chapter 4 verse 12.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Whilst we read the Bible, it reads us. “It judges, or discerns, the thoughts and attitudes of our heart.” It’s an active relationship we have with the Bible. So we shouldn’t just learn from the Bible, but we should listen as well. The Bible is a massive “HELLO” from God. And our response should be to say “hello” back. Don’t just read it. Pray through it. Listen to it. When you read, what is jumping out at you. Focus on that. Keep focussing on that. Don’t let it go. Why is it there?
As you do this, you will find yourself getting to know God. More things will jump out at you. Phrases, words, patterns, even just the rhythm of the language will strike a chord with you. These things will help direct how you pray. The Bible will guide you towards what God is saying to you.
Second Method: Hearing God in dreams and visions
Some people think the Bible is the limit of God’s communication. Not true.
How do we know this? Because the Bible tells me so! Paul (major player in the New Testament scene) actively encourages us to desire prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:39 “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy”.
We as the church should be actively listening to God and to be wanting to hear through dramatic, glorious, mind blowing revelation. This isn’t just for the off-the-wall charismatics. Prophecy, Visions, Dreams. They’re for the church!
“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy”.
“Be eager”. In the Greek that word is “zeloute”. That’s where we get zealous and jealous from.
I don’t know about any of you, but if someone said to me “Dave, would you like to prophesy or see visions?” I’d be fairly non-committal. I’d probably be like “Sure, that could be interesting…” but inside I’d actually be thinking, “Really, that sounds quite tiring to be honest…”
But here Paul is saying that we should be zealously, jealously desiring to hear God this way to bring encouragement, edification and revelation to others and our church. Do we do that?
Third Method: Hearing God in Counsel and Common Sense
Just because a word from God hasn’t come in a burning bush or delivered by an Angel, doesn’t mean it’s any less Godly. God really does use common sense to get in touch with us.
During those times when God isn’t speaking through a dramatic vision or angelic visitation, it’s probably because God is wanting to speak to us through the day-to-day. The normality of life.
The chat with a friend. Or sitting down with someone wiser and holier than you. These instances can be some of the most replenishing, rewarding, most drenched in God experiences you will encounter. Why? Because it is as if God is literally in the room with you. Because God is literally in the room with you.
We see countless times during the Bible God turning up, and we as humanity freak out. We’re like “woooah, what’s going on here!” We can’t take it. We tell God to stay back. So God turned up as a human to try and break us out of our boxes and we still couldn’t accept it, so we killed God. So God has another go, and this time sends the Spirit to talk and work through us, and now, finally we’re able to grasp it.
When God was in the everyday, we couldn’t take it. So God stepped back and worked through the everyday and then we started to understand.
Don’t dismiss the mundane. Don’t ignore the coincidence. Don’t turn the light off on common sense.
Fourth Method: Hearing God in Personal Reflection
And that leads us onto the fourth method which is similar to the previous one, but it’s centred on how we are proactively interacting with God on a personal level.
If you know your Old Testament, you may remember Elijah. Hiding in a cave and God says to him “Are you ready? Because I’m about to show up.” Then suddenly there’s a great storm, wind howling all around him, then an earthquake that tears the mountain apart, then fire descends all around. But God wasn’t in the storm or the earthquake, or the fire. God came next in a gentle whisper.
And often that’s how we experience God. That idea, or thought that seemingly comes from nowhere. Now often those things don’t come from nowhere, but are a sort delayed response to you seeking God.
You might have spent a bit of time praying, or focusing on God, it might not even be a really big thing, a simple prayer to start your day. Some sort of ‘setting yourself apart’ from the distractions of life. But then you get on with your day, and that’s when the whisper appears. Whilst you’re just getting on with the mundane stuff of life. Like brushing your teeth, washing up, or gardening, or going for a run, or your commute, or some other daily task that just happens.
Your brain goes into default mode and during those periods of low-level boredom our subconscious comes to the fore. We start to connect disparate ideas in our brain and solve small problems. These times are essential for our wellbeing, both psychologically our mental health, but also our spiritual health as well. The irony is that we may well become more receptive to hearing God by occupying ourselves with activities that we might not consider to be spiritual disciplines at all.
Now of course we should be a little bit carefully about these thoughts that just appear in our head. We should double check that it really is God talking to us. So compare the idea, the whim, with the character and person of Jesus Christ. Is this the sort of thing Jesus would do? If it is, then there’s a good chance God is talking to you. If you have other doubts, then make use of the third method. Counsel and Common Sense. Talk to someone, tell them what you’ve heard.
Hearing God in Action
The final method is a little bit different.
Often when we seek God it’s because we want to know what to do. It might be some big life question like whether you should apply for a job, or ask a person out, or move to a different city or country or some other such thing. And sometimes it’s not so big but you still want that direction, that guidance from God, to help you make the right decision.
And God really wants to have that conversation. God loves to have a chat about your next move. God loves it when we offer up ourselves to hear the ideal that God wants for our life.
But so often we want the full picture. The start to finish. The point to point route that gets us from where we are to where we’re going. Only then will we commit to the journey.
But God rarely works like that. More often God tends to tell you the next step, not all of them. As Christians we should learn to revel in that lack of revelation. Think of the wedding in Cana. They’ve run out of wine and Mary says to the servants “Do what Jesus tells you to do.” She’s got no idea what Jesus is going to do, but she doesn’t need to know. She trust Jesus to make the call, so she tells the servants to follow him and he turns the whole around to a party again.
If we knew the end the goal, we’d try and get there by ourselves. Like when you’re driving down the motorway and it’s closed, and there are diversions signs but you think you know better so you ignore them and end up down a dead-end farm track in the middle of Lincolnshire.
By simply listening to the whisper, taking the first step, and trusting that God knows the whole journey, we can find ourselves deepening our relationship with God because we’re now listening to God directing the whole journey. Not just the end goal.
God isn’t Google Maps. Some point to point road layout that shows you the most effective way to get to the end goal, through some birds-eye view, metanarrative structure.
God is like a person on a satnav that is actually helpful, telling you the directions and what to look out for as you go on that journey. And God knows exactly where to go, and shows you where the dead-ends are and can take you the correct way up a one-way road, because God literally made them.
There’s a joke in here about going the wrong way, and God telling you to do a U-turn or something like that. I’ll leave you to create it yourselves. It’s funny though.
When we act. When we step out in faith, following God, that builds our relationship, it increases our communication, and draws us closer and closer to God.
Don’t wait for the big revelation, the end goal, you’ll just miss the whole journey altogether.
Conclusions
So, if we want to hear God more. We need to listen.
But listening comes in all manner of shapes and sizes.
And some of those shapes and sizes are you. Me and you. Vehicles for God speaking to others. And not just in our words. Not just in the counsel or common sense, kind of a way, but in all that we do.
If you’re a surgeon, the way you sew someone up is communicating God and God’s love to that person. They may look at a scar, years in the future, and hear God speak.
If you’re a teacher, the tiniest interaction with a young person today might be the memory that sparks faith in decades to come.
Whatever it is that we find ourselves doing, that thing might be God speaking to us or to someone else. So let’s remember to listen.
Find what works for you. That means exploring all of these.
1. Hearing God in the Bible
2. Hearing God in dreams and visions
3. Hearing God in counsel and common sense
4. Hearing God in personal reflection
5. Hearing God in action
So find your fit, find that space where you are in conversation with God, but make sure you’re not ignoring the others.
God will surprise us, let’s make sure we’re listening when that happens. Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand
of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
When I call answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
Come and listen to me.
Jacques Berthier/Taizé.
Copyright © 1982 Ateliers et Presses de Taize (France).
PRAYERS - written by LIz Cannell
Heavenly Father, as we celebrate Mothering Sunday we give thanks for the love and care of our mothers, the sharing of fun, excitement and memories, and for their guidance. In their concern to do the best they can for their children give them patience and understanding, may they have the support they need at difficult times to provide stability for their families. We ask for your blessing and comfort for those families who are unable to meet together today. As we think of the strains and pressures experienced by many families at this time, we pray for each member of the Royal Family.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer
As we hear about the initiative of Arise Sheffield we are reminded in Hebrews that “The word of God is alive and active.” We pray for the people of our city, for those who are walking and praying for households in each street, for people of many cultures and religions. We lift each one to God, and we give thanks for the way communities are helping and supporting each other, using their time and skills with new ideas, and taking opportunities to build new friendships.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer
As we look at the wider world, we pray about the continuing unrest and violence, particularly in Myanmar and Yemen. We pray for people displaced from their homes, seeking safety, and for the many thousands in refugee camps. Lord, we ask you to guide the leaders of all nations and those in positions of authority, especially in their responses to the suffering caused by the pandemic. May there be more support for the vulnerable who face poverty, inequalities and injustice.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer
Loving Father, look with compassion on all who are ill, and those who care for them in hospital or at home. Give encouragement and hope as the days get longer and lighter. Amen
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74kyfROS4q8
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
‘Come unto me and rest;
lay down, thou weary one, lay down
thy head upon my breast’:
I came to Jesus as I was,
weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
and He has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
‘Behold I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live’:
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched,
my soul revived,
and now I live in Him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
‘I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
and all thy day be bright’:
I looked to Jesus and I found
in Him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till travelling days are done.
Horatius Bonar (1808-89)
OFFERTORY - Take a moment to consider how you are going to continue to give to the life of the church and support other aid agencies and mission organisations.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus name
Christ alone; cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all
2. When Darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil
Christ alone…
3. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless I stand before the throne.
Christ alone…
©2011 Hillsong Music Publishing
FINAL BLESSING:
May God the Father,
who does not despise the broken spirit,
give to you a contrite heart.
Amen.
May Christ,
who bore our sins in his body on the tree,
heal you by his wounds.
Amen.
May the Holy Spirit,
who leads us into all truth,
speak to you words of pardon and peace.
Amen.
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen